A Community of Catholic Missionaries Bound Together by Oath
As joyful missionary disciples of Jesus Christ – motivated by love and challenged by the Gospel – we reach across borders, geographical and situational, and build bridges of solidarity among the poor and marginalized that reflect God’s merciful love and compassion in the context of a constantly evolving universe.
Everything we have been able to accomplish as missioners and everything we hope to accomplish fills us with gratitude toward our Founders, whose dream became the gift that Maryknoll is for all of us
MARYKNOLLERS
Our Founders
“Go where you are needed but not wanted, and stay until you are wanted but not needed.”
Father James E. Walsh
First Maryknoll Bishop
Father James Walsh and Father Thomas Price first met in 1910, at the 21st Eucharistic Conference held in Montreal, Canada. In one of their encounters, Father Walsh shared his vision of U.S. Catholic mission with Father Price. Realizing they shared a common call to mission, the urbane Father Walsh and the more rural Father Price collaborated on plans for a mission society within the U.S. Catholic Church.
Soon after, the bishops of the United States formally sanctioned the pursuit of their vision to recruit, send and support U.S. missioners around the world. With this approval, Father Walsh and Father Price traveled to Rome to present their vision of mission. They received the blessing of Pope Pius X on June 29, 1911 (the feast of Saints Peter and Paul), which is the founding day of the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America.
During their travels to Rome, Father Price decided to visit Lourdes, France and learn about the apparitions of Mother Mary to Bernadette Soubirous. He then realized a completely new sense of mission and from this time forward, he devoted himself to the Blessed Mother. With this new inspiration, he then re-named Sunset Hill as Mary’s Knoll. Thus, the beginnings of the new society more popularly known as Maryknoll.
Vocations Newsletter
Join Father Rodrigo as he shares recent events and reflections on Maryknoll Vocations and those who commit to a life of service and mission.
Our Heroes
Spreading the Love of God to the Suffering and Poor
We are a US Catholic order of priests and brothers who, for over 100 years, have modeled itself after the compassion of Jesus in reaching out to those in the world who are the most in need. Grounded in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers partner with local churches to bring compassion, relief, and the message of God’s love to the poor on the fringes of society.
